5 key self-care habits — because you’re worth it

5 key self-care habits — because you’re worth it

Taking care of your mental and physical health is easier with your Aetna plan.

Senior women practice Tai Chi

Smart habits like sleep, exercise, and spending time with loved ones can make a big difference in your mental and physical health. And Aetna Medicare Advantage plans offer benefits that can help you practice self-care habits every day. Here’s what to know.

1. Get enough sleep

Getting enough shut-eye each night is key to better health. A good night’s rest can better your mental health, and help you manage chronic conditions like diabetes and other sicknesses (like the flu). Experts recommend getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night.* But falling — and staying — asleep can be hard. Here are some tips:

  • Turn off your phone and other devices at least an hour before going to bed.
     
  • Try to get to bed at the same time every night. And set an alarm for the same time every morning.
     
  • Avoid big meals and drinking caffeine before bed. This will make it harder to fall asleep.
     
  • Make a bedtime routine you love. Try reading a few pages of your favorite book, listening to calming music or taking a warm bath.

A women reviewing her healthcare plan on a tablet
Check out your personal plan video

It has details about your coverage and how to make the most of your plan. Log in to your secure member website to watch it now.

2. Eat a balanced diet

This means you’re eating all the important food groups throughout the day. These food groups have vitamins and minerals your body needs to stay healthy. Make sure you’re eating these foods* every day:

  • Fruits (like apples and bananas). Aim for 2 cups of fruit a day.
     
  • Vegetables (like broccoli and carrots). Try to eat about 3 cups of vegetables a day.
     
  • Whole grains (like brown rice and oatmeal). Aim for 2 cups of cooked whole grains daily, or more.
     
  • Proteins (like lean meats, beans and eggs). Try to eat at least one cup (roughly 5½ ounces ) of protein a day.

Have a health question that can’t wait for your next checkup?

Call the 24-Hour Nurse Line at 1-855-493-7019 (TTY: 711) to speak with a registered nurse. If you need urgent or emergency care, call 911 or go to your closest emergency room.

3. Move your body

Regular physical activity — including workouts, stretching and movement that helps you build balance and flexibility — can help you feel your best inside and out. Daily exercise can help you:

  • Maintain a healthier weight
     
  • Lower blood pressure
     
  • Lower risk of heart disease
     
  • Relive stress
     
  • Boost mood
     
  • Improve cognition (thinking skills)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends getting at least 150 minutes (that’s 2.5 hours) of moderate-intensity exercise per week.* And the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that older adults combine aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercises with balance training. (Aerobic exercises increase heart rate and oxygen levels.)* Some good options are brisk walking, dancing, yoga and strength-building classes and even raking the leaves and stretching.

Interested in taking a workout class? You have a SilverSneakers® fitness benefit that covers in-person and online fitness classes at no additional cost to you. Visit SilverSneakers.com/GetStarted to learn more.

Need to find an in-network doctor?

Visit AetnaMedicare.com/FindProvider or call Member Services at 1-833-570-6670 (TTY: 711) between 8 AM and 8 PM, 7 days a week.

4. Connect with others

Positive relationships with family and friends may bring you more happiness and help lower stress. In fact, strong social connections with loved ones may even increase longevity by roughly 50 percent.* Reach out to someone you haven’t talked to in a while or visit a local community or senior center to meet new people.

5. Enjoy nature

Spending time outside is a great form of self-care. Research shows that the great outdoors can help improve brain function, mental health, sleep and blood pressure.* Sunlight and fresh air can give you a boost of energy, too. But make sure to protect your skin when heading out, even in the winter. Sunscreen can help block harmful rays.

Use your 20 percent discount on select CVS Health® brand personal and health-related products like sunscreen. Call Member Services at 1-833-570-6670 (TTY: 711) from 8 AM to 8 PM local time, 7 days a week to learn more.

Support, your way

We’re here to help. And there are many ways to get the answers you need. Here are two easy ones:

  • Visit your secure member website. Head to AetnaMedicare.com/Login, where you can see what your plan covers, download your member ID card, view past doctor’s visits, see recent prescriptions and more.
     
  • Call Member Services. Your Member Services team can help answer questions about your health plan. They are available at 1-833-570-6670 (TTY: 711) from 8 AM to 8 PM, 7 days a week.
     

*FOR RECOMMENDATION ON AMOUNT OF SLEEP: Centers for Disease Control. Sleep. Accessed August 13, 2024.

*FOR MORE ON DIETARY RECOMMENDATIONS: U.S. Department of Agriculture. What is MyPlate? Accessed July 29, 2024.

*FOR FOODS THAT MAKE A BALANCED DIET: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Physical activity for older adults: an overview. December 22, 2023. Accessed July 29, 2024.

*FOR CDC EXERCISE RECOMMENDATIONS: U.S Department of Health and Human Services. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd Edition. 2018. Accessed July 29, 2024.

*FOR STATISTICS ON HOW RELATIONSHIPS MAY INCREASE LONGEVITY: Stanford Lifestyle Medicine. How social connection supports longevity. December 18, 2023. Accessed July 29, 2024.

*FOR RESEARCH ON HEALTH VALUE OF TIME OUTDOORS: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Associations between Nature Exposure and Health: A Review of the Evidence. May 2021. Accessed July 29, 2024.

For language services, please call the number on your member ID card and request an operator. For other language services: Español | 中⽂ | Tiếng Việt | 한국어 | Tagalog | Pусский | ةيبرعلا| | Kreyòl | Français | Polski | Português | Italiano | Deutsch | ⽇本語 | فارسی | Other languages…

See Evidence of Coverage for a complete description of plan benefits, exclusions, limitations and conditions of coverage. Plan features and availability may vary by service area.

Plan features and availability may vary by service area. The formulary and/or pharmacy network may change at any time. You will receive notice when necessary.

SilverSneakers® is a registered trademark of Tivity Health, Inc. ©2024 Tivity Health, Inc.

The CVS Health discount is for use by Aetna Medicare Advantage members only. You may be asked to show your Aetna insurance card at checkout. Aetna is part of the CVS Health® family of companies. 20% off Select CVS Health Brands. Excludes sale and promo items, alcohol, tobacco, firearms, prescriptions and co-pays, pseudoephedrine/ephedrine products, pre-paid, gift cards. Not combinable with other orders or supplemental benefits. 20% discount is not valid on other CVS brands such as CVS Pharmacy, Beauty 360®, CVS, Gold Emblem® or Gold Emblem abound®. CVS reserves the right to apply the 20% discounts to qualifying items in any order within the transaction. Not valid on orders placed on CVS.com/Photo or CVS Optical®. Savings are not transferable. No cash back. Tax charged on pre-coupon price where required. 

Vendors order Value-Added Items and Services (VAIS) at a discount that are not part of your plan’s benefits. You will pay the full cost of discounted services not covered under your plan.

Participating health care providers are independent contractors and are neither agents nor employees of Aetna. The availability of any particular provider cannot be guaranteed, and provider network composition is subject to change.

For mail-order, you can get prescription drugs shipped to your home through the network mail-order delivery program. Typically, mail-order drugs arrive within 14 days. You can call the Member Services number on your member ID if you do not receive your mail-order drugs within this timeframe. Members may have the option to sign-up for automated mail-order delivery.

©2024 Aetna Inc.
Y0001_NR_3752457_2024_C
2956713-34-01